Probiotic supplementation in intestinal modulation in dysbiotic bond with depression: a integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: Intestinal probiotics play an important role in bidirectional communication between the intestine and the brain. Intestinal dysbiosis is characterized by changes in the activity and distribution site of the intestinal microbiota, in which pathogenic bacteria predominate over beneficial ones. This imbalance reflects an increase in the permeability of the intestine and a decrease in selectivity in the absorption of toxins, bacteria, proteins or peptides, thus contributing to local and systemic inflammation. Although the interactions of the brain, intestine and microbiome are multifactorial and not yet fully understood, the vagal system functions as a communication channel between the microbiota and the brain. Objective: To evaluate recent studies on the supplementation of probiotics in intestinal modulation in dysbiotic patients with depression. Methods: An integrative literature review was carried out, the bibliographic survey was carried out in January 2020 in the electronic databases, Virtual Health Library (VHL) and PUBMED. After applying the filters, 30 articles were selected, from which 25 articles were excluded, following the exclusion criteria: reading the title, abstract and full article. Results: The studies suggest that probiotic supplementation has a positive impact on gut microbiota modulation, with promising results for reducing depressive symptoms. Additionally, psychobiotics, a class of probiotics that produce neuroactive substances, also showed significant benefits in modulating the regulatory system and stress response. Conclusion: It is concluded that the use of probiotics in depressive dysbiotic individuals becomes an assertive strategy in reducing the symptoms of depression.